Professor in Residence at TikTok
Dr Marcus Collins is a leading authority on the intersection of culture and business, widely recognised for helping organisations translate cultural insights into strategic advantage.
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As Professor in Residence at TikTok and Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, Marcus Collins stands at the forefront of how ideas spread, behaviours shift and communities move to action. With a career spanning both academia and industry, Marcus bridges theory and practice with rare fluency.
As former Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy New York and Chief Consumer Connections Officer at Doner Advertising, he has shaped the direction of some of the world’s most culturally resonant brands. His work has powered iconic campaigns such as Google’s Real Tone technology, the Made in America music festival, State Farm’s Cliff Paul campaign and the launch of the Brooklyn Nets.
A recipient of Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 and Crain’s Business 40 Under 40, Marcus has been inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement and honoured by Thinkers50 with the Radar Distinguished Achievement Award for shaping the future of management thinking. His insights are sought globally by CMOs, policymakers and creatives who aim to understand how culture drives human behaviour.
Marcus’s best-selling book, For The Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be, distils years of research and real-world experience into a practical framework for leveraging culture as a force for action and connection. His writing for Forbes extends this mission, providing sharp, accessible perspectives on marketing, meaning-making and modern identity.
Before his tenure in advertising, Marcus began his career in music and technology, co-founding a startup, contributing to Apple’s iTunes + Nike partnership and leading digital strategy for Beyoncé—work that continues to inform his understanding of audience engagement in an age of cultural convergence.
Respected for his intellect, creativity and humanity, Dr Marcus Collins inspires leaders to think differently about the stories we tell and the shared values that move people.
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